Combination luggage lock



April 1969 R. w. WALTERS 3,436,938

COMBINAT ION LUGGAGE LOCK Filed Oct. 2'], 1967 Sheet of 4 I o 16f H" Z 'l :Wlh... Inf? 93 T HZ' y;

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8' 4 [16 Z/ gvq IIIII J Z0 19 0 I Apnl 8, 1969 R. w. WALTERS COMBINATION LUGGAGE LOCK wwwvw Mm I l i mm mw ww wmw m hm/ h WWW 4 1 M ,QM WM NNNR N Apnl 8, 1969 R. w. WALTERS COMBINATION LUGGAGE LOCK Sheet JF-rx/azz @seMWWs Filed Oct. 27, 1967 1 nit US. Cl. 70-70 15 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combination luggage lock to be utilized adjacent one or both ends of a luggage case at the parting line thereof, the lock having latching means in a lock casing cooperating with a strike member. The lock includes a springbiased reciprocable fence plate having a. push button at the outer end thereof and cooperating with the latching means to release the strike member. A plurality of slide buttons are housed in the lock casing; each slide button has three combination positions and is operatively connected to a fence which is transversely movable relative to and within an opening in the fence plate. Each fence has a gate projection cooperating with a gate in the lock casing so that when the fences are all properly aligned with their respective gates, the fence plate can be re ciprocated. Actuation of the fence plate to an extended position permits changing of the combination of the slide buttons.

The present invention relates to a combination luggage lock and more particularly to a lock assembly having a combination lock capable of being unlocked by indexing to a predetermined combination setting with two or more buttons, each having several combination positions.

In luggage locks, a multiplicity of locking arrangements have been utilized to lock the assemblies adjacent either end of the luggage piece, such as various key locks or combination locks utilizing rotary combination disks or wheels. However, these mechanisms are many times delicate or easily jammed or broken in use or where unauthorized entry is attempted. The present invention provides a simplified combination lock for luggage which is sturdy and obviates the problems of previous locks.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a combination luggage lock to be located at the parting line of the luggage piece adjacent the ends thereof. The combination lock is provided with a push button release on a fence plate for releasing a latch bolt, and the lock has two or more slide buttons operatively connected to the fence plate so that the fence plate can only be moved when the slide buttons are in their proper combination. Each slide button has at least three positions on a line of movement of the button transversely of the longitudinal axis of the lock assembly.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a combination luggage lock having an elongated lock casing housing a spring-biased fence plate and the slide buttons, and having transverse slots for the indeXing projections of the slide buttons. The fence plate also has transverse openings receiving fences operatively connected to the slide buttons. Each fence has a gate projection which, in one position of the fence is aligned with a gate formed in the lock casing so as to allow longitudinal reciprocation of the fence plate. Each fence is movable transversely with its associated slide button, the fence having a pin projection slidably received in one of several grooves formed in the rear face of the slide button.

States Patent A further object of the present invention is the provision of combination luggage lock where the unlocking combination of the slide buttons manipulated by the user can be easily changed where required or desired by the owner of the luggage piece. The fences associated with the slide buttons, when their gate projections are aligned with the gates formed in the lock casing, are moved relative to the slide buttons upon reciprocation of the fence plate to unlock the luggage piece. To change the combination of the lock, the fence plate is moved to a second position by depressing the release button further into the lock casing so that the pin projection on each fence is moved to be disengaged from the groove in the rear face of the slide button. Then the slide buttons are free to move relative to the fences as the pin projections on the fences are located in a track extending along the edge of the slide button which communicates with all of the combination grooves. Once the slide buttons have been shifted to their new combination positions, the fence plate is released and the pin projections on the fences re-engage with the new aligned grooves in the slide buttons.

The present invention also comprehends the provision of a combination luggage lock where the combination 0 used at any one time is color coded for the authorized user. Each slide button is provided with a centrally posi tioned indexing projection on the face thereof of which projects through a transverse slot in the face of the casing. The slot in the casing also has a lateral offset which is aligned with a. band of colors on the face of the slide button adjacent the edge with three colors shown in five positions; with each end position having one color, the two positions adjacent the end positions having a second color and a third color at the central position.

The present invention further comprehends the provision of a combination luggage lock having a rotatable latch bolt cooperating with a strike and yieldably biased to the unlocked position. The lock assembly and latch bolt are mounted on the edge of one section of the luggage piece at the parting line and the strike is secured to the other section of the luggage piece and projects beyond the edge of the other section to extend partially into the lock casing. The biasing of the latch bolt will tend to force the strike away from the lock casing and tend to open the luggage piece.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a combination luggage lock which may be utilized with a conventional draw bolt assembly to unlatch a luggage piece. The lock assembly includes a strike member mounted on the interior surface of the luggage piece and having a strike projection extending through an opening therein. A pivotally mounted casing includes the combination lock assembly and a latch plate separate from and parallel to the fence plate. The latch plate includes a depending latching hook cooperating with the strike projection to retain the lock housing in its lowered position. The casing also includes suitable linkage means to actuate the draw bolt upon pivoting and lifting of the casing relative to the luggage piece.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, efiiciency, economy and ease of assembly and operation, and such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and are inherently possessed thereby.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a luggage case, such as an attache case having the combination lock of the present invention mounted on the case adjacent each end.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of both the right and left hand combination lock assemblies as they would be mounted on the luggage case.

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of one combination lock assembly taken on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the lock assembly taken on line 44 of FIG. 2 with the strike shown in cross section.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side elevational view similar to FIG. 4, but with the strike omitted and a portion broken away to show the combination lock structure.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged top plan view of a portion of the lock casing showing the combination slide button structure.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross sectional view through the lock casing taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. 6 with the fence shown in side elevation.

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a slide button for the lock.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of a fence for the lock.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of the fence plate for the lock.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged top plan view of one lock assembly partially broken away to show the rotatable latch bolt.

FIG. 13 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 12 of the broken away portion of the lock assembly showing the latch bolt in unlocked position.

FIG. 14 is a side elevational view partly in cross section of a second embodiment of combination luggage lock for use with a draw bolt for the luggage piece.

FIG. 15 is a partial top plan view of the combination luggage lock of FIG. 14.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged disassembled view in perspective of the fence plate and latch plate utilized in the lock of FIGS. 14 and 15.

Referring more particularly to the disclosure in the drawings wherein is shown an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 discloses a luggage case 10, such as an attache case, having two case sections or halves 11 and 12 separated at a parting line 13 and hinged together on the lower edge. The case includes a centrally positioned handle 14 and a pair of combination luggage locks 15, 15 located in a channel 16 at the parting line at the upper edge 17 of the case. As seen in FIG. 2, the left hand lock 15 and the right hand lock 15', each comprises a lock casing 18 secured as by rivets 201 to the lower surface 19 of the channel 16 on luggage case half 11 and a strike 21 secured by suitable means such as by riveting onto the lug age case section or half 12; the strike 21 having a latching arm 22 projecting beyond the edge of the section or half 12 and terminating in a laterally extending hook 23 having a rounded outer edge 24.

The lock casing 18 has a generally fiat imperforate upper surface 25 with a depression 26 (FIG. 7) adjacent the outer end 27 thereof. The depression 26 has two or more transverse slots or openings 28 formed in the casing, each slot 28 having a lateral extension 29 at one end. Although the illustrative embodiment of the present invention is shown with three openings 28, the casing may be provided with two or more than three slots 28 depending on the number of combinations desired.

The outer end 27 of the casing is provided with a recess 31 under the top surface (see FIGS. 3 and 5) for a release button 32 mounted on the serrated end or tongue 34 of a reciprocable fence plate 33. The fence plate 33, as more clearly seen in FIG. 11, has at one end a serrated projection 34 of a reduced width with an opening 35 therein, a main body portion 36 having three spaced transverse openings 37 therein, a reduced intermediate portion 38 having an offset at 39 and an imperforate inner end portion 41 terminating in an upwardly extending locking flange 42 offset toward one edge 43 of the fence plate. At the inner edge of the main body portion 36 are a pair of inwardly extending tongues or projections 44, each receiving one end of a compression spring 45 having its other end abutting a shoulder 46 in the lock casing 18 to yieldably bias the fence plate 33 to the right as seen in FIGS. 5 and 12.

The lock casing 18, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 7, opens downwardly to provide a generally hollow housing having depending longitudinal sides 47 with the casing being closed on its underside by a cover plate 48 riveted or secured thereto at each end. The casing 18 is provided with a downwardly extending wall 49 adjacent one end (FIG. 5) with a riveting projection extending through the opening 35 in the tongue 34 of the fence plate 33 and securing the end of the cover plate 48; the opening 35 allowing reciprocation of the fence plate relative to the riveting projection 51. The casing is also provided with a similar wall 49 at the inner end to secure the inner end of the cover plate 48, and the casing has spaced partitions 52, 52 and a shoulder 53 extending partially downward from the upper surface 25. The wall 49 and partitions 52, 52 each has plural indentations 54 in one surface thereof for a purpose to be later described (see FIGS. 6 and 12). Also the partitions 52, 52 and shoulder 53 each have a longitudinal gate opening 55 extending partially therethrough (see FIGS. 5, 6, 8 and 12).

A slide or indexing button 56, as seen in FIG. 9, is provided for each of the openings 28 in the casing 18. Each slide button 56, preferably formed of a plastic composition, includes a generally rectangular plate-type body 57 having a central indexing projection 58 adapted to project through a slot 28 for manual movement of the slide button by the owner of the luggage 10. The body 57 is provided with a detent 59 centrally positioned along one edge of the body and an elongated transverse slot 61 is formed in the body adjacent the edge having the detent 59. The slot 61 provides a certain amount of flexibility to allow the detent 59 to cooperate with the plural indentations 54 in the wall 49 and partitions 52, 52 thus yieldably retaining the slide button in any one of the three indexing positions.

The body 57 adjacent the opposite edge 62 has a series of color bands 63 on the face of the button 56 aligned with the lateral extension 29 of slot 28 so that a color band 63 is exposed through the slot extension 29. In the present embodiment, five color bands are shown which have the following colors from the top of FIG. 9, blue, white, red, white, blue, although these colors are only illustrative. For a three position button, it is only important that the color of the top and bottom bands be the same, and the color of the two intermediate be a second color, and the central band he a third color. On the rear face of the body 57 are spaced rearwardly opening slots 64, 65, 66 extending to and opening into a transversely extending track 67 at the edge 62 interconnecting the three slots.

The slots 64, 65 and 66 of each slide button 56 are adapted to receive a pin projection 69 extending upward from a generally rectangular fence 68 received in an opening 37 in the fence plate 33 (FIG. 11). Each fence 68 also has an upwardly extending gate projection 71 spaced from the pin projection 69 and adapted to be received in one of the gates 55 (FIGS. 5, 6 and 8) formed in partitions 52, 52 and the shoulder 53. The fence 68 is free to move transversely in opening 37 of the fence plate 33 with the movement of the slide button 56, and if the gate projections 71 of all the fences 68 are aligned with the gates 55, the fences 68 will allow the fence plate 33 to reciprocate upon depression of the release button 32.

Formed in the inner end of the lock casing 18 (FIGS. 12 and 13) is a bolt hub post 72 forming the axis of rotation for a rotatable latch bolt 73, and a spring seat 74 is formed in one side wall 47 of the casing for a compression spring 75 having its opposite end abutting a seat 76 on the bolt 73. The opposite wall 47 of the casing is formed with an elongated opening 77 to receive the hook end 23 of the strike 21. The latch bolt 73 is provided with a latching arm 78 terminating in a hook end 79 interengaging or interlocking with the hook end 23 of the strike 21 as seen in FIG. 12. A second arm 81 at generally right angles to the latching arm 78 is provided at one edge with the spring seat 76, and the opposite edge is provided with a cam surface 82, a first step 83, a second step 84 and an outer cam surface 85 at the end of the arm.

In operation, FIG. 12 discloses the lock assembly in its locked position with the springs 45, 45 biasing the fence plate 33 to the right and the spring 75 compressed. The slide buttons 56 and their associated fences 68 can be moved transversely across the lock casing by manual manipulation of the indexing projections 58 to the proper combination position, each button being retained in any indexed position by the detent 59 cooperating with the indentations 54 formed in the lock casing 18. To unlock the lug ge case 10, the slide buttons 56 are moved to their proper combination positions which may be indicated by the color bands 63 exposed in the lateral slot extensions 29. When moved to proper position, each fence 68 has its gate projection, normally received in the track 67, aligned with its associated gate 55 in partition 52, 52 or shoulder 53.

The release button 32 on the outer end of the fence plate 33 is depressed to reciprocate the fence plate 33 and the fences 68 to the left as seen in FIG. 12, with the gate projections 71 entering the gates 55 and the pin projections 69 moving in the associated slots 64, 65 or 66 of the then immobile slide buttons. As the fence plate 33 is shifted, the locking flange 42 is shifted away from the first step 83 to release the arm 81 of the latch bolt 73, and the spring 75 rotates the latch bolt in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in FIG. 13. As the latch bolt 73 is rotated, the hook end 79 of the bolt is disengaged from the hook end 23 of the strike 21, and the cam surface or area 82 abuts the rounded surface 24 to urge the strike 21 out of the lock casing 18 to thus initiate opening of the luggage case.

When in the unlocked position, the latch bolt 73 due to the constant pressure of fence plate springs 45, 45 comes to rest at the cam surface or area 85. When finger pressure is removed from the release button 32, the gate projections 71 on the fences 68 are within the gate openings 55 so that the fences are immovable thus protecting against any accidental combination change. When the luggage case is closed, the rounded edge surface 24 abuts the cam surface or area 82 on the latch bolt arm 81 as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 13. Further closing movement of the lug age case causes movement of the strike 21 which in turn causes rotation of the bolt 73 in a clockwise direction where the second step 84 is caught on the flange 42 of the fence plate 33 due to the constant biasing of the fence plate by the springs 45, 45. Further movement of the strike 21 allows the bolt 73 to reach the first step 83 and allows the fence plate 33 to move the flange 42 to the step 83 locking the case into the final closed position.

If it is desired that the combination necessary to actuate the bolt 73 be changed, the first step is to set the slide buttons 56 to their proper combination and depress the release button 32 causing the bolt 73 to rotate and force the strike 21 out of the lock casing 18 (FIG. 13). Then the release button 32 is further depressed which moves the fences 68 into a neutral area of the slide buttons 56 by shifting the pin projections 69 out of the slots 64, 65 or 66 of each slide button 56 and into the transverse track 67 at the edge of each button. With the pin projections 69 in the tracks 67 and the gate projections 71 in the gates 55, the fences 68 cannot move laterally to the longitudinal axis of the fence plate 33, and the slide buttons 56 can be moved independently of the fences into a new combination position. Upon releasing the release button 32, the fence plate 33 is shifted so that the flange 42 abuts the cam surface or area 84 on the bolt 73 and the pin projections 69 on the fences 68 move into the newly aligned slots 64,

6 65 or 66 in the rear face of the slide button 56. The case can then be closed and locked.

FIGS. 14 to 16, inclusive, disclose another embodiment of the combination luggage lock 15 adapted for use in combination with a conventional draw bolt (not shown), such as that disclosed in the Garmon, Jr., et a1. Patent No. 3,034,327. The one case half 11 includes a strike member 86 secured to the interior surface of the case half 11 by a rivet 87 and has a strike projection 88 extending upward through an opening 89 in the case half 11 to face the lock assembly 15 The strike projection 88 has a forward undercut surface 91 which cooperates with the front edge 92 of the opening 89 to interlock the strike in the case half 11 and a rear undercut latching surface 93. Above the latching surface 93 is a camming surface 94 cooperating with the lock assembly.

The lock assembly 15 includes an elongated hollow lock casing 95 having a top wall 96, depending side walls 97 and open ends; the casing 95 being pivoted to the luggage case half 11 by a rivet or pin 98 at the inner end of the casing where it houses a suitable draw bolt (not shown) operatively connected to the casing through a linkage connected to a second rivet or pin 99 positioned intermediate the ends of the casing.

The top surface of the casing 95 has a depression 101 adjacent the outer end 102 thereof, the depression having two or more transverse slots 103 therein, each slot having a lateral extension 104 at one end. Although this embodiment is shown with two slots 103, the casing may be provided with three or more slots depending on the desired number of combinations. A release button 105 is positioned in the open end 102 of the casing and is mounted on the serrated end or tongue 106 of a reciprocable fence plate 107. The fence plate 107 has spaced transverse openings 108 therein and terminates at its inner end in a pair of spaced longitudinal projections 109 defining spaced shoulders 110 abutting the ends of compression springs 111 having their opposite ends abutting a depending wall 112 in the casing; the wall forming reccesses for the springs.

The forward part of the casing 95 between the open end 102 and the wall 112 is hollow with depending spaced partitions 113, 114 and 115. The partitions 113 and 114 each has a longitudinal gate opening 116 extending therethrough, and the partitions 114 and each has plural indentations 117 therein. A slide or indexing button 56 identical to the button 56 shown in FIG. 9 is provided for each slot 103, with the detent 59 thereof cooperating with the associated plural indentations 117 to position the button 56 in one of its three combination positions. A fence 68 associated with each button 56 is identical with the fence 68 shown in FIG. 10 having a pin projection 69 cooperating with the slots in the rear face of the button 56 and a gate projection 71 cooperating with a gate opening 116. Each fence 68 is received in one of the openings 108 in the fence plate 107 to reciprocate therewith; the opening 108 allowing for transverse movement of the fence upon movement of its associated button 56 Below and parellel to the fence plate 108 is a generally rectangular latch plate 118 (FIG. 16) having at one end an outer tongue 119 adapted to abut the inner surface 121 of the release button 105 and at the other end a central tongue 122 and laterally spaced projections 123 and shoulders 124 against which the compression springs 111 abut. The rear wall 112 includes recesses and partitions 125 to cooperate with the projections 109 and 123 of the fence plate 107 and latch plate 118, respectively, and a central channel 126 to receive the tongue 122 upon reciprocation of the latch plate 118. The latch plate 118 also has a central opening 127 with a downwardly curved and then upwardly bent latching tongue or hook 128 therein which cooperates with the undercut latching surface 93 of the strike member 86.

A cover plate 129 positioned below the latch plate 118 is riveted or aflixed to the casing 95 as by rivets 131 and 7 closes the lower open end of the casing to retain the operative elements or components therein. The cover plate 129 has a central opening 132 therein through which projects the latching hook 123 and into which projects the strike projection 88.

In operation, FIG. 14 discloses the lock assembly 15* in its locked position with the latching hook 128 engaging the undercut latching surface 93 of the strike projection 88, and the springs 111 biasing the fence plate 107 and release button 105 outwardly and biasing the latching plate 118 outwardly to abut the release button 105. To unlock the luggage piece, the slide buttons 56 are moved to the positions where the gate projections 71 on the fences 68 are aligned with the gate openings 116 in the casing partitions 113, 114. Depressing the release button 105 causes inward movement of the fence plate 107 and the latching plate 118 against the force of the springs 111; the fence plate moving the fences 68 relative to the slide buttons 56 with the gate projections 71 entering the gate openings 116. The abutting latching plate 118 is moved inward a distance limited by the opening 89 in the luggage case half .11 and the latching hook 128, the distance of movement being sufiicient to move the latching hook 128 from under the undercut surface 93 to release the lock assembly 15 from the strike member 86, but is not sufiicient to allow the slide button combination to be changed. When the release button 105 has been depressed, the lock casing 95 can be lifted to pivot about the rivet or pin 98 through an angle of approximately 30 to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 14.

The pivoting movement of the casing 95 actuates a suitable draw bolt mechanism in a known manner to release the two case halves of the luggage piece so that the luggage piece may be opened for access to its contents. Once the latching hook 128 of the latching plate 118 has cleared the strike projection 88 upon pivoting of the casing 95, the release button 105 can be released to return to its extended normal position under the impetus of the compression springs 111, and the latching plate 118 will also return to its normal position. T o lock the luggage piece, the case halves are brought together and the lock casing 95 is pivoted toward its closed position which will return the draw bolt to its locked position. As the casing 95 approaches the case half 11 the lower curved surface of the latching hook .128 engages the camming surface 94 of the strike projection 88, and the latching plate 118 is cammed against the force of the springs 111 without attendant movement of the release button 105 and fence plate 107 until the hook 128 is moved around and snaps under the undercut surface 93 of the strike projection 88.

To change the combination of the lock assembly 15 the release button 105 is depressed to release the lock casing 95 which is pivoted to its position as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 14. In this position, the release button can be depressed a greater distance without the limiting action of the latching hook 128 in the opening 89, to move the fence plate 107 and the fences 68 to the position where the pin projections 69 are moved out of the grooves in the rear surface of the slide buttons 56 to allow the slide buttons to be moved in the slots 103 independently of the fences 68- to change the combination positions as previously disclosed. Once the new combina tion positions are reached, the release button 105- is released to move the fences 68* into engagement with the slide buttons 56 and set the combination. The opening 132 in the cover plate 129 is of sufficient length to allow the movement of the latching plate 118 with the release button 105 to the combination changing position.

Although one embodiment of the present combination lock is shown with three slide buttons, each button having three possible positions, providing twenty-seven possible combinations, and the second embodiment is shown with two slide buttons, I do not wish to limit myself to these illustrative constructions as the present invention comprehends the use of a two or three button lock assembly or an assembly having more than three buttons. Also, this invention comprehends the use of more positions for each slide button to increase the total number of possible combinations for the lock assembly, and it is not my desire or intent to unnecessarily limit the scope or the utility of the improved features of the combination lock assembly by virtue of this illustrative embodiment.

Having thus disclosed my invention, I claim:

1. A combination luggage lock comprising a lock assembly and a strike member, said lock assembly including an elongated hollow lock casing having spaced openings in the upper surface thereof adjacent one end, an indexing button projecting through each spaced opening and manually movable to selected positions in said casing, latching means in said casing cooperating with said strike member, a reciprocable fence plate extending longitudinally in said casing with a release button on the outer end and exposed for manual actuation, said fence plate having spaced transversely extending openings therein generally aligned with the openings in said casing, a fence received in each transverse opening for transverse movement relative to the fence plate and the casing, means interconnecting each fence with an indexing button for transverse movement, and a gate projection on each fence, said casing having a plurality of longitudinally extending gates each adapted to receive the gate projection on one of the fences on one position of the fence, and resilient means yieldably biasing said fence plate to its locked position.

2. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which said means interconnecting a fence and an indexing button includes a pin projection on said fence, said indexing button has spaced grooves open at one end on the rear surface thereof to receive the pin projection.

3. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 2, in which said indexing button has a transverse track on one edge of the rear surface thereof interconnecting the spaced grooves.

4. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which said release button is depressed to actuate the latching means and release said strike member and depressed further to a second position to allow the changing of the combination, said openings in said casing each having a lateral extension exposing one of a .series of color bands on the indexing button to indicate the combination of the lock.

5. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which each indexing button is transversely slotted adjacent one edge, and a detent on the edge of the button adjacent the slot, and said casing having a plurality of indentations therein adjacent each detent to yieldably retain each button in any combination position.

6. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which said lock casing has a depression in its upper surface adjacent the outer end, and the Spaced openings for the indexing buttons are positioned in said depression, and said indexing buttons are positioned slidably engaging the fence plate.

7. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 5, in which said gate projection is positioned adjacent one edge of a fence and said pin projection is shorter than the gate projection and positioned adjacent the opposite edge of the fence, and said gate projection is normally positioned within the transverse track of the associated indexing button.

8. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which said latching means comprises a latch bolt rotatably mounted in said casing adjacent the end of the casing opposite the release button, said casing having an opening in the side wall thereof to receive the end of the strike member, and said fence plate extends longitudinally through said casing and terminates in a latching flange on the inner end thereof cooperating with the latch bolt.

9. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 8, including spring means yieldably biasing the latch bolt to unlatched position, said latch bolt including a latching arm terminating in a hook portion, and a second arm at right angles to the latching arm and cooperating with the latching flange on the end of said fence plate, said fence plate being normally biased in a direction away from said latch bolt.

10. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 9, in which the second arm on the latch bolt includes a first cam edge, a first step engaging the flange on the fence plate with the latch bolt and strike member engaged, a second step, and a second cam edge abutting the flange on the fence plate when the strike member and latch bolt are disengaged.

11. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 10, in which said strike member includes a mounting portion and a hook portion, said hook portion having a curved cam edge adapted to engage the first cam edge on the second arm of the latch bolt when the strike is moved through the side opening into the lock casing.

12. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 1, in which said casing is pivoted at its inner end to a luggage piece, and said latching means includes a reciprocable latching plate parallel to but independent of said fence plate, said resilient means biasing said latching plate to abut said release button.

13. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 12, in which said latching plate includes a depending latching hook, and said strike member includes a strike projection, and an undercut latching surface on said strike projection cooperating with said latching hook.

14. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 13, in which said strike projection has a camming surface cooperating with said latching hook, and a second undercut surface cooperating with said luggage piece to interlock the strike member thereto.

15. A combination lock assembly as set forth in claim 14, in which said luggage piece has an opening therein through which extends said strike projection and into which extends said latching hook, said casing being pivoted to a second position at an angle of approximately 30 when the latching hook is released from the strike member, and said combination can only be changed when the casing is pivoted to its second position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 937,286 10/ 1909 Croswell -298 1,201,174 10/1916 Grunwald 70298 1,981,408 11/ 1934 Zuili 70299 2,820,359 1/1958 Levine 70-69 MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 70298 

